25 Days of Drabble: NCIS
by Raindrops on Roses
Summary: [Drabble] In which Tony is nosy and McGee is sarcastic. Part of multifandom 25 Days of Drabble.
1. In which Tony is nosy

Title: 25 Days of Drabble: NCIS

Author: Shannon/Raindrops on Roses

Rating: PG  
Category: Drabble

Spoilers: Bete Noire, Reveille, Heart Break

Disclaimer: These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.

Author's Note: For the twenty-five days leading up to Christmas, I wrote a drabble a day from various fandoms. These are the ones for NCIS. I also wrote crossovers, which will be included in the other fandoms.

* * *

_Other Fandoms:_

NCIS: Days 1, 12, 13, 14, 20, 21, 23, 24  
Law & Order: SVU: Days 2, 18  
Law & Order: Day 3  
Harry Potter: Day 4  
Stargate: SG-1: Days 5, 9, 16  
Kushiel Series: Day 6  
The West Wing: Days 7, 8, 10, 15, 22  
JAG: Days 11, 17, 19, 25

* * *

_Day 1_  
Characters: Tony, McGee  
Spoilers: Heart Break 

"McGee, move your head."

The agent gave him a blank stare. "What?"

"You heard me," Tony replied impatiently.

"Why?" The stare was quickly replaced with confusion.

"Kate's here with a date. You think it's Harrison?" Tony tried to see the man's face--with no luck.

"Yes, Tony. Because I've actually seen him before," McGee said.

"Was that... sarcasm, Probie?" Tony's attention was jolted from Kate's mysterious male friend. "I knew you had a sense of humor. Even if it is more like Kate's than mine."

McGee rolled his eyes. He'd discovered that letting Tony talk himself out was best for everyone.


	2. In which Tony has a death wish

_Day 12_   
Characters: Gibbs/Kate; Gibbs, Kate, Tony

"I don't think so."

The words were spoken in unison, but neither person moved.

"You have to kiss. It's tradition."

"Dinozzo, I have a suggestion for you." Kate glared at the grinning man.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Run."

"Hide," Gibbs growled.

"Because you're a dead man." Unison again.

Tony paled, and they both smirked. When he recovered, he said, "I notice you still haven't moved away from the doorway."

"Get out of the way--"

"--and maybe we can."

"Oh, right." He stumbled over his feet, reminiscent of McGee, who was still trying to wrestle something out of the car.

Kate shook her head and looked up at Gibbs. She placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Merry Christmas, Gibbs." Her voice was wry, but her eyes sparkled with humor.

Gibbs resisted the uncharacteristic urge to smile and replied, "Merry Christmas, Kate."

Neither noticed the flash go off from outside.


	3. In which Tony spars with Kate

_Day 13_   
Characters: McGee/Kate; Kate, Tony

"You know, maybe we're being too hard on him."

Tony gave Kate a look of disbelief. "Come on, Kate! It's a tradition."

"It's hazing, and I don't think it's fun anymore." Kate frowned and crossed her arms.

"Jeez, Kate, what's gotten into you?"

"McGee's proven he can be a productive member of the team, and I think the trial period should be over."

"What, and I haven't?"

"That's not what I said."

"But it's what you meant."

"No, it wasn't!" Kate sighed. "Look, Tony, I know I was ready to shoot you by this point. How much worse do you think it is for McGee? I mean, there are two of us now."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Kate. You know, I think you've got a crush on the little..."

"Tony! I do not!"

An evil grin spread over Tony's features. "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Kate scowled.


	4. In which McGee spreads the Christmas che...

_Day 14_   
Characters: Team (OT4)

"Dinozzo!"

"Yeah, boss?"

"How much rum did you put in the eggnog?"

"Me? I didn't put any in there."

"I think McGee did it."

"Remind me to give him a raise."

"I think... you already have."

"Kate!"

"What? 'S obviously the truth, Timmy."

"How much eggnog have you had?"

"Uh... four glasses. Why?"

"Because that sounds like something Tony would say."

"Watch it, Probie."

"Like Kate said, it's obviously the truth."

"Timmy."

"Don't call me that."

"Timmy, Timmy, Timmy..."

"Would you two stop--"

"Wow. Would you look at that? McGee found a way to shut Tony up for once."


	5. In which Kate faces her own guilt

_Day 20_   
Characters: Kate/Gerald   
Spoilers: Bete Noire

"Hey."

"Hey." Gerald lifted his head and peered at his visitor. "Kate."

He began to grope for something with his good right hand. Kate hurried over. She grabbed the control for the bed. "Here. Let me." She pressed a button, and the bed moved.

Once Gerald was sitting up, Kate seemed at a loss for what to say. She clasped her hands in front of her and stared at the crisp hospital sheets.

"Kate."

She looked at the man in the bed. He gazed back at her, worry, pain, and an ineffable sadness combining in his usually lively dark eyes.

"It's not your fault." Kate's lips twisted into a smirk, but before she could reply, Gerald continued, "Ducky was right. You didn't know the rules. You didn't know what would happen."

"Gerald, I--" Her throat closed on the words. "I'm sorry."

He sighed. "I know."

"I, uh... I brought something for you," she said, digging through her purse. She pulled out a white, rectangular object with wires dangling from it.

"My iPod!" Gerald grinned at the penitent woman. "Thanks, Kate."

"It was the least I could do," she replied softly.

He paused. "You want to know what else you can do for me?"

"What?" She would do anything.

"Get that bastard for me."

She took a deep breath. "Okay."


	6. In which Gibbs faces the music

_Day 21_   
Characters: Gibbs, Director Morrow   
Spoilers: Reveille

"What the hell were you thinking, Agent Gibbs?"

Gibbs stared down the wrath of the NCIS director. "Just making his act more believable, sir."

The other man snorted. "And avenging Mr. Jackson's injury--and Agent Todd's kidnapping?"

"Would I do that, sir?" If Gibbs had been more like Tony, he would have been exuding injured innocence at the moment.

Director Morrow sighed and sat behind his desk. His gaze told Gibbs that, yes, of course he would do it. However, he replied, "The CIA isn't happy."

"Are they ever?"

"With you?" Morrow almost smiled. "No. Have you made it your mission to single-handedly alienate every law-enforcement agency in the US?"

At this, Gibbs did smile.


	7. In which she hopes beyond hope

_Day 23_   
Characters: Ducky/Kate; Kate, Gibbs

Fold. Crease. Repetitive, soothing.

"Kate? What are you still doing here?"

Fold. Crease.

"Do you know the story of the thousand paper cranes?"

Scrape of a chair on the linoleum floor.

"No."

Smile. "It's said that a person who makes one thousand paper cranes will have a wish granted." Hold up the finished product. "Sixty-four." Take another piece of paper.

Hand running through silver hair. "Go home."

"He'd almost gotten there, you know." Fold. Crease. "Number nine hundred eighty-eight was waiting on my desk that morning."

A sigh. "Kate..."

"I knew what he would wish for." Whisper. "I even knew what my answer would be."


	8. In which verbal dances replace real ones

_Day 24_   
Characters: Tony/Kate

"Dance with me, Kate."

She shook her head. "No, thank you."

"Aw, come on." He pouted. "Do you think I'll step on your toes?"

She studied him for a moment. No, she didn't think that. He had a certain quality that, in anyone else, she'd call grace. He was comfortable in his body. "I just don't feel like dancing right now, Tony," she demurred.

"Okay." He shrugged and sat beside her. "But you have to promise me a dance."

His smile was infectious. She laughed. "Fine. I promise I'll dance with you later."


End file.
